United Nations Structure

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Transcript of United Nations Structure

by Allison Tomazin & Renée BashamUnited Nations Questions we will be coveringWhy did the United Nations come into existence?What is its organisational structure?Where is power situated?What is the impact of the UN on states' sovereignty?Failure of the LeagueWith the escalation of war in the late 1930s, the League Assembly transferred enough power to the Secretary General so that the League would continue to exist, although on severely reduced operations - the Palais des Nations went unoccupied for 6 years until WWII endedRise of the United NationsInternational governance throughout historyStructure of the UNStructure of the UNGeneral AssemblySecurity CouncilStructure of the UNSecretariatStructure of the UNInternational Court of Justice Trusteeship CouncilEstablished in 1945 occupies a central position as the chief deliberative, policymaking &representative organ comprising all 193 Membersprovides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issuesplays a significant role in the process of standard-setting and the codification of international law.

primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.has 15 memberstakes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression. It calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful meansrecommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement.can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorize the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.together with the General Assembly, it elects the judges of the International Court of Justice.Examples of Funds & ProgramsUNDPUNHCRUNICEFWFPUNODCUNIDIRUNRISDUNFPAAdministrative workHead by the Secretary-Generalconsists of departments & offices total staff of about 44,000 drawn from some 180 countriesUN Headquarters in New York, UN offices in Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi and many other locations.also known as the World Courtthe main judicial organ of the UN15 judges elected by the General Assembly & Security Council decides disputes between countries, also gives advisory opinions to the UN and its specialized agencies.established to provide international supervision to 11 "Trust Territories"to prepare for autonomy or independence.

The concept of "organised, long-term cooperation between political communities" dates back as far as 5th century GreeceThe Treaty of Westphalia established concepts of "terrioriality, sovereignty & autonomy" in EuropeSignificant evolutionary stages - WestphaliaThis Westphalian system replaced the previous transcendence of religious authority with politicalSystemic breakdown with the beginning of the French Revolution and Napoleonic WarsInternational governance throughout historyInternational governance throughout historySignificant evolutionary stages - Concert SystemThe Congress of Vienna was a conference of European states which sought to settle issues arising from war (e.g. territoriality)First in an ongoing series which became known as the Concert of EuropeEventually unraveled amid successive wars between participants e.g. Crimean WarInternational governance throughout historyGoing into the 20th centuryEurope organised into two opposing coalitions: the Triple Alliance & Entente PowersRapid technological advancements (e.g. rail, telegraphy, weaponry)International governance throughout historyThe conception of League of NationsWWI concluded with the Paris Peace Conference & signing of the Treaty of Versailles (1919)Establishment of the League of Nations a key result of the Paris Peace ConferenceThe first Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO):Failure of the Hague Disarmament Conferences (1899 & 1907) leading to eventual outbreak of WWIThe League of NationsThe Covenant required members to accept "obligations not to resort to war" & required "the reduction of national armaments to the lowest point consistent with national safety" which many states perceived as infringing on their sovereigntyGlobal membershipMembers required to sign a constitution of principles & objectives (the Covenant)Met together regularly at permanent location (Palais des Nations, Geneva)Primary purpose to prevent war via promotion of collective security Permanent, dedicated bureaucracy (secretariat) overseen by a secretary-general (Chancellor)Semi-executive Council of major powersSemi-parliamentary AssemblyMembers primarily loyal to the League48 individual state members as of inception (1920)The US, while instrumental in founding the League, was unable to convince Congress to accept the CovenantGermany, Soviet Union, Japan excludedRequired unanimous votes for actionLimited colonial/small state representationInsistence of state sovereignty & autonomy restricted collective interestLoss of credibility & international confidenceThe Atlantic CharterRoosevelt & Churchill (1941)Policy statement which defined the Allied goals for the post-war world e.g. no territorial changes, restoration of self-government, reduction of trade restrictions, disarmament of aggressive nationsCalled for "the establishment of a permanent system of general security"The term "United Nations" was originally used to describe the Allied states during WWII ie. the Axis powers vs. the United NationsPrinciples of the Atlantic Charter used in the development of the "Declaration by the United Nations" (January 1, 1942), a document used to pledge support by the Allied forces in the defeat of the Axis powersAt the end of WWII, the "Declaration by the United Nations" was used to draft the United Nations Charter (UN Conference on International Organisation, San Francisco 1945)United Nations officially came into being on October 24, 1945 upon ratification of the Charter by 5 members of the new, permanent Security Council (France, China, Soviet Union, UK, US) & 46 other signatoriesOnly “peace loving” states eligible for membership, ie. exclusion of Germany, Italy, Japan & SpainSubsuming of the League of NationsFinal meeting of the League of Nations on April 12, 1946 in GenevaLiquidation & transfer of assets (approx. $22mil) to the new United NationsThe new General Assembly selected New York City as its official HQ, with 3 other office sites in Geneva (the acquired Palais de Nations), Vienna and Nairobi• To keep peace throughout the world• To develop friendly relations among nations• To help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy, and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms• To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations to achieve these goalshttp://www.un.org/en/aboutun/index.shtmlFour Main Purposes:ReferencesCerny, PG 2010, 'Globalisation & Statehood' in Beeson M, & Bisley, N (eds.) Issues in 21st Century World Politics, Palgrave Macmillan, New YorkForsythe, D 2012, ‘The UN Security Council and Human Rights; State Sovereignty and Human Dignity’, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, viewed 2 Aug 2014, http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/09069.pdfKarns, MP & Mingst, KA 2010, 'The United Nations: Centrepiece of Global Governance', & 'The Challenges of Global Governance' in International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance, Lynne Rienner Publishers, UKMacQueen, N 2010, The United Nations, Oneworld Publications, UK'UN At A Glance', 2014, retrieved 4 August 2014 from http://www.un.org/en/aboutun/index.shtml The rabbit hole that is WikipediaWhere is power?Security Council MembersChina, Russia, France, UK, US(aka P5)Argentina, Australia, Chad, Chile,Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg,Nigeria, Republic of Korea, Rwanda Whereas other organs of the UN can make recommendations, Security Council holds authority to make binding decisions which member states must agree to carry out - these decisions known as resolutionsThe 5 permanent Security Council members (P5) possess Veto power over resolutions, meaning they can block the adoption of resolutionsTemporary seats held for 2 year terms, after which new member states are voted in by the General AssemblyPresidency of the Security Council rotates alphabetically each monthThe Security Council15 members: 5 permanent, 10 temporary by election"Sovereign equality" ie. one vote per member stateLimitations of powerPermanence of the P5 - no change in line up since original inception, changes in power shiftsUnder-representation of particular regions/statesRoutine procedural decisions require a minimum majority of 9 votes, however a majority of 9 may be blocked by a single vote from one of the P5Any action requires the full support of the P5, but only a majority of temporary membersAdvent of the ‘pocket Veto’ - important resolutions diluted or abandoned when a Veto is anticipated

Why the veto?Any attempts to impose a majority on the P-5 would likely result in them opting out of the United Nations altogether & the UN disbandingPromotes negotiation and compromise towards the resolution of key issues in the face of polarisation (e.g. the Soviet Union cast 80 Vetoes out of a total 83 cast in the UN’s first decade)

Does it work?Final questions:To whom is the UN foremost accountable? (e.g. member states, global citizens)Honor system ie. “pacta sunt servanda” = "all treaties must be carried out/observed"Collective responsibility vs. state sovereigntyPressures towards consensus: does not require unanimity + outcomes generalised = fewer tough demands on states to actConcept of Veto adapted from the unanimous voting system utilised by predecessor (the League of Nations) in order to prevent systemic collapseResolutions reflect the interests of Security Council’s most powerful state components ie. P5UN Charter, Article 51: “right of individual or collective self-defence” against armed attack, meaning member states are not required to wait for Security Council to reach a decision before taking their own self-defence measuresOnly Security Council possesses ultimate responsibility to determine what counts as an act of aggressionWhat is state sovereignty?UN Impact on State Sovereignty?NO ImpactSecurity Council unableto act on matters of "internal disputes"

e.g VETO's from Russia and China against the USregarding human rightsissues in Myanmar (Burma) and Zimbabwe

YES Impact Landmines conventionratified by 150 countriesDrastically reduced the number of landmines40 millions stockpiles destroyed with 10 million left Not imposed, yetagreed upon and actioned on, limited to state cooperationSystems of global governance both support & challenge state sovereigntyInfluence of these governance measures based on member state recognition of agreed institutions & normsStates comply based on legitimacy of the rules & underlying norms & validity of the decision making processSometimes non-compliance due to inadequate expertise/capacity to complyWestphalian concepts of “territoriality, sovereignty & autonomy”Principle of legal equality between statesContested nature of sovereignty in the context of globalisation, non-state actors (e.g. MNCs), transnational issues (e.g. climate change, Ebola) & the emergence of a global civil societyTerritorialitya mutually recognised geographical region/bordersSovereigntyfreedom from external interference in internal affairsAutonomyright to political self-determination & self-governanceState sovereignty& global governanceDoes its structure enhance or impede upon its legitimacy/effectiveness as a form of global governance?Is the UN just a tool of & for the propagation of largely Western values concerning global peace & security?